The New Normal (album)

Last updated

The New Normal
CogTheNewNormal.jpg
Studio album by
Cog
ReleasedApril 12, 2005
RecordedSeptember 20 – November 5, 2004
Genre Progressive rock
Length73:06
Label Difrnt Music
MGM Distribution
Producer Sylvia Massy and Cog
Cog chronology
Open Up
(2003)
The New Normal
(2005)
Sharing Space
(2008)
Singles from The New Normal
  1. "Real Life"
    Released: February 2005
  2. "My Enemy"
    Released: March 2005
  3. "Run"
    Released: August 2005
  4. "Resonate"
    Released: March 2006

The New Normal is the first studio album by Australian rock band Cog, released on April 12, 2005 by Difrnt Music. The album was produced in Weed, California by Sylvia Massy (Tool, System of a Down, Spiderbait). The New Normal was made the album of the week on Triple J and at the J Award of 2005, the album was nominated for Australian Album of the Year. [1]

Contents

The album peaked at number 19 on the Australian Recording Industry Association album chart.

Background

The album name was formulated in the wake of the September 11 attacks, front man Flynn Gower explained that the name was derived from a social commentator in the United States that was describing "what people once considered ‘normal’ in terms of lifestyle. Things had changed quite drastically in a short period of time. They were calling the kind of social and political environment in which we now lived, ‘the new normal’”.

In September 2004 Cog met with Sylvia Massy in Weed, California to begin recording for the album. [2] The album was recorded between September, 2004 and October, 2004 at Radiostar Studios, a retired 1930s art deco theater that, according to the band, helped them get into a "different head space" for recording. [3]

"Real Life", "My Enemy", "Run" and "Resonate" were released as radio singles in February, March and August 2005 as well as March 2006, respectively. [4] "Real Life" was first released as a demo in late 2003, as part of Big Day Out's 2004 compilation. It was also the first song from the album to debut on the radio. The single itself was distributed to radio stations, street team members, as well as directly to some attendees of the Big Day Out '04 launch ceremony in Sydney, Australia at Utopia Records on April 9, 2005. [5] "My Enemy" was included in the Triple J Hottest 100: Volume 13 compilation album released in March, 2006 [6] while "Run" was later featured in Triple J Hottest 100 Australian Albums Of All Time released in July, 2011. [7]

Lyrics and themes

Lyrically the album focuses heavily to articulate themes of new world globalization in conjunction with government corruption and control. Flynn Gower described the lyrics as " recurring ideas of anger, alienation, isolation, dissension, disillusionment and disempowerment" as well as the feeling of exclusion from "the decision-making process" on both the local and national level. He went on to state that the album conveys "universal themes" that would express the feelings of Australians and people across the world who feel they need to "take the power back". [8]

Artwork

Various items of "modern protest" were featured within the panels of the digipack release including: a brick, lit torch, gas mask, cell phone, laptop and Molotov cocktail. The gas mask and Molotov cocktail included specific descriptions of the peripherals followed by notes on how they could be used as "identity concealment devices" and for "guerilla warfare", respectively. Commenting on the protest theme, art director Daniel Parkinson stated "we decided on a clean stark look, using Times New Roman Font like a newspaper" in addition to "some strange 'anomaly' objects" portrayed as black balls floating above the desert floor. [9] Furthermore, the front cover features an electric megaphone in accordance to the "modern protest" theme as well as "cog the new normal" in Braille. [10] Flynn Gower stated the "starkness of the message" was "very clear and easy to decipher." [8]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [11]
Oz Music Project4/5 [12]
Sputnikmusic4.5/5 [13]
Ultimate Guitar 9.9/10 [14]

The New Normal was mostly well received and gained generally positive reviews, but was not without its criticisms. Jody Macgregor of AllMusic said "Flynn Gower...sings with enough genuineness and passion to deliver political songs...without sounding trite." She described some of the rhymes as "a touch too obvious" while "[pushing] a simplistic melody...longer than it deserves", but assures "enough unexpected turns and blistering riffs" to conclude that "Cog are at their best concocting these apocalyptic epics". [11]

The album entered the ARIA Charts on April 24, 2005, peaked at #19 and remained on the chart for three weeks. [15] Moreover, the album was described by Triple J radio as "Australian heavy music fans have been holding out for" as well as "a massive sound, almost unbelievable for that of a three piece band." In 2005 the album was nominated for the J Award by Triple J. [3]

Track listing

All songs written, composed and performed by Cog.

No.TitleLength
1."Real Life"5:56
2."Anarchy OK"6:22
3."Silence Is Violence"7:39
4."Resonate"4:31
5."The Spine"7:11
6."My Enemy"3:33
7."Run"5:08
8."The River Song"7:39
9."Charades"3:59
10."Doors (Now and Then My Life Feels Like It's Going Nowhere)"10:14
11."Naming the Elephant"10:46
Total length:73:06

Charts

Chart (2005)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA) [16] 19

Personnel

Cog
Production

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spiderbait</span> Australian rock band

Spiderbait is an Australian alternative rock band from Finley, New South Wales, formed in 1991 by bass guitarist and singer Janet English, drummer and singer Kram, and guitarist Damian Whitty. In 2004 the group's cover version of the 1930s Lead Belly song "Black Betty" reached number one on the ARIA Singles Chart. They have five top 20 albums: The Unfinished Spanish Galleon of Finley Lake (1995), Ivy and the Big Apples (1996), Grand Slam (1999), Tonight Alright (2004), and Greatest Hits (2005). The group have won two ARIA Music Awards with the first in 1997 as 'Best Alternative Release' for Ivy and the Big Apples and the second in 2000 as 'Best Cover-Art' for their single "Glockenpop". Between 2004 and 2013 the band was on hiatus to concentrate on solo projects and their personal lives - although periodically returning for occasional gigs. In November 2013 the band released its first studio album in nine years, Spiderbait.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Jellÿ</span> American comedy rock band

Green Jellÿ is an American comedy rock band formed in 1981. Originally named Green Jellö, the band changed its name due to legal pressure from Kraft Foods Inc., the owners of the Jell-O brand, who claimed that it was an infringement of their trademark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Lloyd</span> Australian singer-songwriter (born 1974)

Alex Lloyd is an Australian singer-songwriter. Four of his albums, Black the Sun, Watching Angels Mend, Distant Light and Alex Lloyd, released between 1999 and 2005, made the top ten on the ARIA charts. Lloyd has also won the ARIA Award for Best Male Artist on three occasions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gerling</span>

Gerling were an Australian electronica, alternative rock trio formed in 1993. From early 1997 the members were Darren Cross on guitar and lead vocals, Presser on drums and Burke Reid on guitar and vocals. Their second album, When Young Terrorists Chase the Sun, reached the ARIA Albums Chart top 50. It provided a top 50 single, "Dust Me Selecta". The group disbanded in 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cog (band)</span> Australian progressive rock band

Cog are an Australian progressive rock band that formed in 1998. Their debut album, The New Normal, was nominated for Triple J's 2005 J Award. The band's music is influenced by Tool, Isis, Nina Simone, Bob Marley, Leftfield, Deftones and Helmet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian McFadden</span> Irish singer

Brian Nicholas McFadden is an Irish pop singer and television presenter. He rose to fame in 1998 as a member of the Irish boy band Westlife. Following his departure from the group in 2004, McFadden released his debut solo album, Irish Son. He has since released four studio albums: Set in Stone, Wall of Soundz, The Irish Connection, and Otis.

The Hanging Tree were an Australian progressive metal, stoner rock band formed in 1992 by Flynn Gower on guitar, Rohan Mellick on guitar, Daniel Parkinson on bass guitar and Emmy Walters on lead vocals. They were joined in 1995 by Lucius Borich on drums (ex-Juice). They issued a self-titled album in August 1996. Borich and Gower left the group later that year and, in 1998, formed Cog. Parkinson and Walters continued with new members until the Hanging Tree disbanded in 2002.

<i>Begins Here</i> 2003 studio album by The Butterfly Effect

Begins Here is the debut full-length album by Brisbane rock band The Butterfly Effect. Begins Here reached number 23 on the ARIA Album Charts, the band's first entry to the top 100, as their first extended play The Butterfly Effect had peaked outside of the top 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flynn Gower</span> Musical artist

Flynn Gower is an Australian vocalist, composer and guitarist, currently the frontman of The Occupants. He is best known as frontman of the rock band Cog, which disbanded in 2010. He was also a guitarist in now-defunct funk metal band The Hanging Tree.

<i>Make Me Love You</i> 2005 studio album by Pivot

Make Me Love You is the debut album by Australian instrumental band Pivot. It was released on 8 August 2005 through Sensory Projects and distributed by Inertia Distribution. It received strong radio support and a nomination for the J Award, or Australian Album of the Year, by national radio station Triple J. The album was produced by the group's Richard Pike, mixed by Richard Belkner, and mastered by William Bowden. One notable sample from the album is the use of the violin from Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's 1888 piece Scheherazade on the second track of the album, "Artificial Horizon". In October 2015 PVT re-issued Make Me Love You in a vinyl format with a bonus CD, You Make Me Love - B-Sides & Demos 2003-2005, of material from the original recording sessions. They followed with two Australian shows to promote this release in November.

"Open Up" is a song released by the Australian rock band Cog in March 2003. It peaked at number 81 on the ARIA charts.

Sylvia Lenore Massy is an American record producer, mixer, engineer, instructor and author. Massy is renowned for her multifaceted production/mixing and engineering skills, with her first major breakthrough occurring with 1993's Undertow, the full-length triple platinum-selling debut for Los Angeles alternative metal band Tool as well as her work with System of a Down, Johnny Cash, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Brazilian band South Cry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gotye</span> Australian musician (born 1980)

WouterAndré "Wally" De Backer, known professionally as Gotye, is an Australian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. The name "Gotye" is a pronunciation respelling of "Gauthier", the French cognate of his Dutch given name "Wouter".

Lucius Borich is an Australian musician, best known as the drummer for the band Cog, and previously the drummer in funk metal band Juice and in The Hanging Tree as well as Floating Me. He currently plays and is working on new rock outfit The Nerve.

<i>Sharing Space</i> 2008 studio album by Cog

Sharing Space is the second full-length album by Australian rock band Cog, released on 12 April 2008. The album was, once again, produced by Sylvia Massy in Weed, California. The album peaked at number 2 on the ARIA album chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke Gower</span> Musical artist

Luke Erin Gower is a member of the Australian progressive rock band Cog. He plays bass and sings background vocals. Gower's oldest brother, Flynn Gower, is their lead singer and guitarist. Gower and Flynn formed a group, the Occupants, which issued a single, "I've Been Thinking" and an extended play, Hindsight.

<i>Just Visiting</i> (album series) 2002 EP series by Cog

Just Visiting is a two-part 2002 extended play series by Australian rock group, Cog. Besides vocals, it was recorded in the late 1990s. Guitar and drums were recorded at Stage Door Rehearsal Studio, in Alexandria, while bass guitar was recorded by drummer Lucius Borich, at his home on a TASCAM 8-track portastudio, before Luke Gower joined the band on bass guitar. These tracks served as demonstration recordings that had them booked for performance, and eventually signed to booking agent TPA, through Owen Orford. Frustrated at the lack of label interest, Orford, despite his lack of experience with record labels started his own to release the Just Visiting EPs, on Little Samurai Records.

<i>Just Visiting</i> (Cog album) 2008 compilation album by Cog

Just Visiting is a compilation album by Australian progressive rock band Cog, released on 16 August 2008. The album is a compilation – re-release of the 2002 EPs Just Visiting Part One and Just Visiting Part Two as a full album – using the combined track listing but with the original long versions of "Bondi" and "Moshiach". In April 2003 both parts appeared on the ARIA Heavy Rock & Metal Singles Chart, with Part One peaking at No. 14 and Part Two reaching No. 4. Lucius Borich remastered the album at Studios 301.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vera Blue</span> Australian singer-songwriter

Celia Pavey, known professionally as Vera Blue, is an Australian singer-songwriter signed with Island Records Australia, which is part of Universal Music Australia. Her folk-inspired album This Music peaked at number 14 on the Australian ARIA Charts in July 2013. Pavey sings, and plays the guitar and the violin. She placed third in season 2 of The Voice Australia. Her debut album Perennial achieved Gold certification in Australia after its release in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ngaiire</span> Musical artist

Ngaire Laun Joseph, known by her stage name Ngaiire, is a Papua New Guinea-born Australian-based R&B and future soul singer-songwriter. Her musical career commenced in 2003 with an enrollment in a bachelor of Jazz Studies at the Central Queensland University (CQU). In 2004, she competed in the second season of Australian Idol, where she competed as a semi-finalist but did not make it to the final 12 singers. She then worked with Blue King Brown and Paul Mac as a session vocalist before re-focusing on her solo career in 2008.

References

  1. "The J Award 2005". Triple J . Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2005. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  2. "Cog The New Normal". abc.net.au. 8 April 2005. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  3. 1 2 "The J Award - Nominated Albums. The New Normal/ Cog". abc.net.au. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  4. "COG". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  5. "Song: Real Life". cse.unsw.edu.au. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  6. "COG - MY ENEMY (SONG)". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  7. "COG - RUN (SONG)". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  8. 1 2 "Biography: The New Normal…". cog.com.au. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  9. Parkinson, Daniel (7 May 2014). "Cog - The New Normal". behance.net. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  10. "The New Normal". cse.unsw.edu.au. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  11. 1 2 Macgregor, Jody. "Cog The New Normal". allmusic.com. Archived from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  12. B, Steph. "COG The New Normal difrnt Music". ozmusicproject.net. Archived from the original on 21 August 2006. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  13. D, Jake (23 July 2005). "Cog The New Normal". sputnikmusic.com. Archived from the original on 12 October 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  14. "The New Normal Review". ultimate-guitar.com. 25 May 2006. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  15. "The New Normal". acharts.co. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  16. "Australiancharts.com – Cog – The New Normal". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 April 2012.